Ghana has marked a historic turning point in its petroleum and industrialisation journey with the arrival of locally produced Jubilee crude oil at the Sentuo Oil Refinery in Tema for processing, signaling a bold shift from exporting raw resources to adding value within the country.
Speaking at the refinery’s first-ever Jubilee Crude Oil Berth Ceremony, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, described the occasion as a defining moment in Ghana’s history and a significant step towards President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of building an economy that transforms its natural wealth into tangible benefits for its people.
“For the first time in Ghana’s history as an oil-producing nation, a cargo of Jubilee crude, lifted from beneath our own waters, has arrived not in Rotterdam, Guangdong or the Gulf of Mexico, but here on Ghanaian soil, at a world-class refinery in Tema, to be transformed into fuel that will power Ghanaian homes, businesses and roads,” she stated.
According to the Minister, the development represents a departure from a long-standing pattern where Ghana exported crude oil only to import refined petroleum products at prices beyond its control.
She noted that for over 15 years, ordinary Ghanaians, including transport operators, traders, farmers and fishermen, have borne the burden of fluctuating fuel prices resulting from that arrangement.
“Today, that cycle begins to change as we build the Ghana envisioned under President Mahama’s reset agenda – a Ghana that not only extracts its wealth but transforms it,” she said.
Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare praised Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited and its parent company, the Sentuo Group, for their confidence in Ghana and their substantial investment in the country’s industrial future.
She noted that the nearly US$2 billion investment demonstrates a strong belief in Ghana’s potential and aligns with Africa’s broader ambition to move beyond the export of raw materials.
She emphasised that the refinery’s operations would create significant economic linkages across multiple sectors.
The diesel produced at the facility, she said, would support transportation and logistics, while liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) would provide cleaner cooking fuel for households.
Additionally, asphalt produced at the refinery would contribute to road construction and infrastructure development.
“The benefits of this refinery extend far beyond petroleum products. Behind every barrel refined are jobs, opportunities, technical skills and improved livelihoods for Ghanaian workers, engineers and families,” she noted.
The Minister also revealed that government is committed to supporting the growth of a local industrial ecosystem around the refinery, including investments in petrochemicals, fertiliser production, plastics and other industrial inputs that can deepen Ghana’s manufacturing base and reduce dependence on imports.
She disclosed that discussions held during a recent visit to China had generated excitement about plans to establish a fertiliser plant in Ghana, adding that her Ministry stands ready to work with Sentuo and its partners to bring the project to fruition.
Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare described the refinery as a practical response to the so-called “resource curse,” arguing that the true value of natural resources lies not in their extraction but in their transformation into products that drive industrial growth and national development.
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, also described the arrival of Jubilee crude at Sentuo Oil Refinery as a landmark achievement in Ghana’s petroleum industry and a deliberate national effort to maximise value from the country’s natural resources.
According to him, the milestone reflects government’s commitment to deepening local value addition, strengthening energy security and retaining a greater share of the economic benefits generated from Ghana’s petroleum sector.
Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor explained that the initiative gained additional urgency amid recent geopolitical tensions and concerns about global energy supply disruptions. He noted that President Mahama had directed urgent measures to strengthen Ghana’s energy security, including increasing domestic refining of locally produced crude oil.
The Energy Minister announced that through collaborative efforts involving Sentuo Oil Refinery, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Explorco, Tullow Ghana, Kosmos Energy, Vitol Ghana and other stakeholders, arrangements had been concluded for approximately one million barrels of Jubilee crude oil to be supplied to the refinery for processing.
He further revealed that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) had successfully received one million barrels of crude oil in May and resumed refining operations in June, with plans underway for additional supplies of Ghanaian crude to sustain production and reduce dependence on imported refined products.
Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor said the completion of Sentuo’s planned Phase Two expansion would increase the refinery’s capacity from the current 40,000 barrels per stream day to 100,000 barrels per stream day, positioning Ghana as a major refining hub in West Africa.
Both Ministers emphasized that local refining is central to Ghana’s industrialisation agenda and essential for building economic resilience, creating jobs, promoting technology transfer and strengthening national energy security.
Founder and Executive Chairman of Sentuo Group, Mr. Xu Ningquan, hailed the ceremony at the Jubilee crude oil berth as a pivotal moment for Ghana’s energy sector.
Speaking under the theme “Ghana’s Oil Fields to Ghana’s Industries”, Mr. Xu described the event as both timely and strategically important.
Mr. Xu highlighted the role of Sentuo Oil Refinery as an ecosystem and a catalyst for industrial transformation. “Every barrel refined domestically creates opportunities for local businesses and strengthens Ghana’s competitiveness,” he noted.
The Sentuo executive also reiterated the company’s commitment to the government’s vision of transforming Ghana into a petroleum hub for the sub-region.
Mr. Xu concluded by calling for increased government support to ensure long-term investments in direct crude oil refining.
